Momen urges French businesses to invest in SEZs

Staff Correspondent
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday urged French businessmen to invest in the country’s energy, infrastructure and other sectors.
“I’m calling upon you (French businessmen) for taking the advantages of the country’s demographic dividend and attractive packages that are on offer in our 100 Special Economic Zones (SEZs),” he told a delegation of “France-South East Asia”, the Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group. Earlier in the morning the delegation led by the Senator and President Jacky Deromedi called on the Foreign Minister at his office in the city.
The other members of the delegation are Jerome Durian, President of the Bangladesh sub-group, Simon Sutour, Senator of Gard Region and Anne Laure Saint Dizier Executive and Secretary of the Senate House.
The Group covers six ASEAN countries — Myanmar, Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Bangladesh.
The foreign minister thanked the delegation for visiting Bangladesh.
Referring to French support during the country’s Liberation War in 1971, Momen fondly recalled the important contribution made by renowned French intellectual and politician Andre Malraux during and after the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
He also praised France and her people for being the beacon of democracy for freedom loving people across the world.
Dr Momen also sought continued French’s support to create conducive environment inside the Rakhine State of Myanmar for their dignified return in safety and security.
The Foreign Minister also appreciated the existing excellent mutual understanding between Bangladesh and France on the important issues like climate change and peacekeeping.
The members of French Inter-parliamentary delegation highly appreciated the impressive development in Bangladesh.
The delegation members also expressed their interest to organise a business forum within French parliament, engaging the country’s business community, where Bangladesh could showcase the huge economic and business opportunities that currently exist in Bangladesh.
They also highly appreciated the significant support that was extended by Bangladesh to the Rohingya people.
The French delegation assured to continue supporting the cause of the Rohingyas.
On Wednesday, the delegation members also met with the Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament, Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, MP and the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Besides, they also visited a garment factory, nearby Dhaka.